Cover for automobile sun visor mirrors

ABSTRACT

The cover for automobile sun visor mirrors has several rigid sheet-like plates, overlapping and connected slidably to each other with a plurality of lug and slot sets in a continuous chain-like succession, such that in the open position exposing the mirror all the plates are accumulated one above the other and retracted in the interior of a container concealed in the sun visor body. To close the cover, the foremost plate is pulled outwards, which carries along with it the other plates until the whole of the mirror is covered. The movement may be lengthwise or transverse relative to the major axis of the sun visor. The sun visor and the mirror may have any appropriate structure and may be equipped with other auxiliarly or complementary items such as a document holder bag and lights, respectively.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cover for automobile sun visor mirrors.Consequently, this invention lies within the generic field of automobileaccessories.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many automobile sun visor structures having a mirrorincorporated in their structure, at times known as "vanity mirrors",which are for the personal use of the passenger seated in the free frontseat and even for the driver when his sun visor is equipped with such amirror.

It is also known that such mirrors, in view of their location within thearea of air flow inside the vehicle, tend to collect dust with ease andbecome dirty in relatively short periods of time. Such is the situationthat, if they are not frequently cleaned, they become practicallyunusable. And to solve this drawback many known structures are providedwith covers. The Spanish utility models Nos. 276352, 276353 and 276822may be cited in this respect. In the first two references cited, thereare described covers having a very simple structure, which have thedrawback that when the mirror is uncovered, they hang freely and producepractical problems, which are accentuated above all when the vehicle isin movement, and also aesthetic problems.

The above Spanish utility model No. 276822 describes a cover which, whenretracted, becomes concealed within the sun visor structure, therebyeliminating the drawbacks first mentioned above. Nevertheless, thisembodiment suffers from the difficulty of requiring a very long cavitycapable of receiving practically the whole length of the cover when thisis withdrawn to reveal the mirror, within the internal structure of thesun visor body. The relatively large dimensions of the cavity causeproblems for an adequate location of the sun visor components such as:its internal framework; the hinge body; the electrical illuminationmeans where the sun visor is provided with independent light sources.These drawbacks are overcome in part in European patent No. EP 0099454,which describes a cover for a sun visor mirror made from flexiblematerial which is capable of being concealed within the sun visor bodywhen the mirror is uncovered, in three different ways: a) folding backin a large loop requiring an internal housing situated as an extensionof the mirror and having a length equal to half the total length of thecover body; b) by being rolled up around a spool located at a side ofthe mirror; and, c) by sliding linearly, i.e. without being wound up orforming loops, towards a housing which is situated behind the mirrorbody. It should be noted that in all three cases a), b) and c)described, it is absolutely necessary for the cover to be made fromflexible material, such as a thick fabric or a flexible plastic band ortape. This constitution may cause jamming because of uncontrolledfriction or the formation of small folds. Also the edges contacting theguides are subject to wear which doubtlessly is more intense with thecommon flexible materials. To combat this harmful phenomenon, it wouldbe necessary to use expensive specially resistant materials. A furthernegative factor of the embodiments described in European patent EP0099454 lies in the relative mechanical complexity of the means designedto house the flexible cover, which also affects the production costs,making them relatively high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The sun visor mirror cover according to the invention has been devisedto allow it to be retracted within a housing formed in the structure ofthe sun visor itself, allowing the use of common rigid materials, suchas rigid plastics which last longer and are cheaper than flexiblematerials.

A further advantage derived from the new structure of the coveraccording to the invention, is its highly reliable operation and thevery low risk of breakdown from wear of the materials. Since commonrigid low price plastics may be used, the friction resistance of whichis adequate for it to remain in good condition throughout the wholeworking life of the mirror which is normally long in this type ofaccessory.

According to the invention, the cover for automobile sun visor mirrorsis characterized in that it comprises a plurality of rigid sheet-likeplates, preferably two or three, having an essentially rectangularshape, overlapping and connected together one after the other, with theaid of appropriate means, in continuous chain-like series maintaining adegree of freedom of movement by relative sliding one over the other inthe direction of the opening and closing movements of the cover. Theplates are situated under the mirror frame and over the mirror, with asmooth fit between the side walls of the frame which is provided withguideways for the sliding movements. The side walls extend inside thestructure of the sun visor body forming an internal container having alength at least the same as the minimum length occupied by the ensembleof all the plates when in a position of maximum overlap and of a heightappropriate to admit the thickness occupied by the overlapping plates,such that they may be almost integrally concealed in the interiorthereof with the exception of small regions of the outermost end edgesand with the exception also of knob means situated on one of the platesfor the cover opening and closing operations.

The fundamental operation of the cover according to the invention may bederived from the above features. In fact, to open the cover the platesare moved by acting on the front plate which is the one provided withthe knob means, moving them towards the interior of the internalcontainer. To close the cover, the reverse operation is effected. Theopening and closing movements may be vertical--i.e. from top to bottomand from bottom to top--, or horizontal,--i.e. from right to left andfrom left to right--. The choice is made in conformity with theindustrial design requirements proper to each practical application.

According to the fundamental structure disclosed, it is contemplatedthat the cover in one embodiment may be formed by two plates where, inthe closing and opening operations, the cover is moved substantiallytransversally to the main axis of the mirror. Bearing in mind that thesun visor mirrors are elongated rectangles, it will be understood thatthe plates are elongated and have a width approximately equal to halfthe width of the mirror. In other words, in the normal position of useof the mirror, the cover will move from bottom to top and from top tobottom, i.e. vertically, for the closing and opening movements. In thisembodiment, the container in which the plates are concealed when thecover is retracted is situated below the mirror. Consequently, to openthe cover, the plates are moved towards the interior of the container.And to close the cover, the reverse operation is followed, that is, bypulling the knob means outwardly so that when the first of the plates ispulled, the other follows in the same direction of movement due to thefact that the plates are connected together in chain-like fashion. Inthis embodiment, it will be necessary to provide securing means formaintaining the knob means in position when it is at the top of themirror. In fact, the purpose is to prevent the plates from undesirablydropping down by gravity.

In another embodiment, three plates are used to make covers which movein a direction along the main axis of the mirror. In this case, thecontainer is situated in the extension of one of the ends of the mirrorand consequently to open the cover the plates are moved towards theinterior of the container along an essentially horizontal directionrelative to the vehicle floor, if the operation is performed when thesun visor is in the normal position. And to close the cover, the reverseoperation is followed, i.e. the knob means is pulled outward so thatwhen the first of the plates is pulled along, the others follow the samemovement due to the fact that they are successively connected togetherin chain-like fashion.

According to a further feature of the invention, the means forconnecting the plates successively in chain-like fashion are formed byslot-lug sets located on the lateral edges of the plates, said slotsbeing parallel to the said edges and extending over a length slightlyshorter than the length of the edge, with the whole set of cover platesforming a successive homogenous chain-like connection such that theplate at the first end of the set has only slots, the plate at theopposite end has only lugs and the intermediate plate or plates, if any,have a slot and a lug on each lateral edge, said lugs and slots beinglocated on each plate in positional correspondence, forming sets, forconnection together one after the other.

It will be understood that where the cover is formed by only two plates,as in the above described case, one of the plates is the one end plateand the other plate is the other end plate. When the cover is formed bythree plates, as described for a further embodiment, there are two endplates and one single intermediate plate.

According to a further feature of the invention, the securing means formaintaining the plates in the upper position when these are moved in avertical direction consists of a magnetic or mechanical link.

The cover as described may be incorporated into mirrors having a widerange of structures. For example, they may be mirrors without light, ormirrors provided with a light source. They may also be mirrorsincorporated as original equipment in the sun visor structure or mirrorswhich are added subsequently to the manufacturing process, by mounting amirror having a carrying structure in a cavity for this purpose in thestructure of the sun visor body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The sheets of drawings accompanying the specification show as anon-limiting example two practical embodiments of the present invention.In said drawings FIGS. 1 to 7 relate to one embodiment. FIGS. 8 and 9refer specifically to another embodiment. And FIGS. 10 and 11 showconstructional details common to both embodiments. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the automobile sun visor mirror. The cover hasbeen withdrawn, leaving the mirror exposed.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the mirror showing the cover in anintermediate stage of the closing operation.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the sun visor mirror with the cover fullyclosed.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional front view of the mirror with thecover.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the mirror on the line V--V of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the mirror on the line VI--VI ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the mirror on the line VII--VII ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the mirror.

FIG. 9 is a partial front view of the mirror.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a constructional detail.

FIG. 11 is a cross section view of the mirror along the line XI--XI ofFIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

There is described hereafter an embodiment in which the cover Tcomprises two rigid sheet-like plates 1 and 2 which are moved in anopening and closing direction shown with arrow D in FIG. 2 whichgenerally coincides with the vertical direction in the automobile. Thisvertical opening and closing direction D is transverse to the mainhorizontal axis A of the mirror.

These plates 1 and 2 are made from material appropriate for thecontemplated purpose, preferably rigid plastics material. It will beunderstood that they could also be an appropriate metallic material.

The plates 1 and 2 are substantially rectangular and elongate. Thelonger side has a length approximately the same as that of the mirror Eof the sun visor P, and the shorter side is approximately as long ashalf the width of the mirror E. FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 allow thesedimensional relationships to be observed.

In FIG. 1 the internal container 3 shaped as an extension of the sidewalls 4 of the frame 5 surrounding the mirror E is clearly to be seen.This same frame 5 serves to hold the two plates 1 and 2. The two plates1 and 2 are mutually connected together with means providing for thesuccessive chain-like mechanical attachment and also allow the plates 1and 2 to slide one above the other, with relative independence, and witha capacity to take on two relative extreme positions: a first endposition of maximum overlap in which one plate is almost completelysuperimposed on the other, and a second end position, opposite to thefirst position, of minimum overlap, in which the two plates aresuperimposed along a narrow strip close to the contact edges. Thischain-like connection is the one obliging one plate to follow the otherwhen either is moved beyond the above maximum and minimum positionallimits.

The internal container 3 extends on the inside of the sun visor body Pand the length 11 thereof, which in this case could also be calleddepth, has a minimum value equivalent to the minimum length occupied bythe two plates 1 and 2 when they are in the position of maximum overlap.FIG. 6 is particularly appropriate to show this dimensionalrelationship. It may be also seen that only a small edge region of thefront edges e1 of the plates 1 and 2 extends beyond the interior of thecontainer 3 and also the knob means 6 which juts out to allow for theclosing operation.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 successively show the positions of the cover T onmoving from the fully open position to the fully closed position. FIG. 1shows the cover T fully concealed, that is, in the fully open position.FIG. 6, which is a cross section on the line VI--VI of FIG. 1, shows howthe two plates 1 and 2 overlap each other to the maximum possible extentat the bottom, namely within the container 3, leaving the mirror Eexposed. In FIG. 2, the cover T is in an intermediate stage of theclosing operation, that is moving upwards. The plate 1 is provided withthe knob means 6 and has been moved over its full width and has startedto carry along the plate 2.

FIG. 4 is a larger scale view showing the plates 1 and 2 in a positionequivalent to the position of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows the mirror E and thecover T partially broken away. In this way the internal structure may bebetter seen. The side walls 4 of the frame 5 act as guideways for thesliding of the plates 1 and 2. FIG. 5 is a cross section on the lineV--V of FIG. 4 complementing the views showing the intermediate positionof the closing operation.

And in FIG. 3 it may be seen how the two plates 1 and 2 are fullyextended, that is covering the mirror E.

In the position of FIG. 3, gravity would cause an undesired spontaneousdrop of the plates 1 and 2, above all if the automobile is in movementbecause then the vibration may help to overcome the friction of thissystem. To avoid this undesired phenomenon, there is contemplated theprovision of securing means for maintaining the closed position which inthe case of the example are concealed magnets M. The elementaryconstruction derived from the incorporation of these magnets M makes itunnecessary to show them in detail in the figures. Of course, anyappropriate mechanical linking means M may be used alternatively. One ofthe most appropriate places for locating the closing or hooking means,that is the mechanical means deemed to be desirable, is in the regionclose to the knob means 6 or even attached to the knob means 6 as shownin FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a cross section on the line VII--VII of FIG. 3, showing howthe two plates 1 and 2 are located overlapping only along a narrowregion of their respectively closest edges, fully covering the mirror E.

The structure described above allows the cover T of a large mirror to beconcealed with a container 3 of a relatively small volume, with theimportant advantage that the cover T is formed by rigid parts, themechanical properties of which are particularly appropriate for ensuringthe correct operation throughout the whole working life of the mirror E.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a constructional variation which is fundamentallycoincident with the above described embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to7.

According to this constructional variant, the mirror E, which is drawnin a similar way as to how it is mounted on the sun visor body P, thatis disposed lengthwise with its main horizontal axis A parallel to thefloor, is covered by a cover T formed by three plates 7, 8 and 9 whichare moved in an opening and closing direction D' which is coincidentwith the horizontal axis A. Therefore, in this case the internalcontainer 10 is located as an extension towards one side of one of theends of the frame 11. In FIG. 8 the cover T is in the closed position,that is completely covering the mirror E. The knob means 12 is locatedon the plate 7.

FIG. 9 is an overall view, partially cutaway, of the mirror E and thecover T. This view allows the internal structure of this embodiment tobe examined, which as said above is very similar to the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7. The internal container 10 is an extensionof the side walls 13 of the frame 11 and the length 12 thereof isapproximately equal to one third of the length of the mirror E. Also inthis embodiment there is achieved the special advantage of being able tostore the rigid cover T inside a container 10 having relatively smalldimensions.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing one example of the connection meansproviding the mechanical attachment between the plates (1 and 2; or 7, 8and 9) forming the cover T. Three plates P1, P2 and P3 have been drawnsince in the broadest and most general representation serving directlyto understand the connection in the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9. Inother words, the three plates P1, P2 and P3 are identically equivalentto the plates 7, 8 and 9 of FIGS. 8 and 9. But it is very obvious totranslate this schematic representation to what happens in theembodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7. In this case, the plates 1 and 2 arestructurally equivalent to the plates P1 and P3 of FIG. 10.

The connection is effected by sets of slot 14 and lug 15 located on thelateral edges of the plates P1, P2 and P3. It may be seen how the slots14 extend parallel to the edges of the plates and they are slightlyshorter than the length of the edges. It may be seen that plate P1,which is one end plate of the set of three plates, is provided only withthe lug 15. And the other end plate, that is the plate P3, is providedonly with the slot 14. The plate P2, which is the intermediate one, hasa slot 14 and a lug 15. Where there are more than three plates, theintermediate plates are provided with slot 14 and lug 15. And in theexample of FIGS. 1 to 7 since there are only two plates, plate 1 andplate 2 will have, respectively, the same structure as plates P1 and P3of FIG. 10.

It will be seen in FIG. 10 how the plates P1, P2 and P3 are connectedtogether in a chain-like fashion, that is, if one end plate is pulledthis will pull the others along with it when the lugs 15 reach the endof movement within the corresponding slots 14.

FIG. 11 is a cross section view showing the relative positions of theslot 14 and lug 15 sets to ensure that they do not mutually hinder eachother. In this way, the plates move gently and reliably for a very largenumber of operations. This FIG. 11 is also general, and although itshows the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, it may be applied to theembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 7 in the same way as has been done in theexplanation of FIG. 10.

In the two embodiments explained the mirror E is provided with lightsources L. It will be understood that these light sources L do not formpart of the invention and, therefore, may be deleted or may have acompletely different configuration, form or structure from the oneshown.

It will also be understood that each of the elements described above, ortwo or more together, may also find a useful application in other typesof structures differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in acover for an automobile sun visor mirror, it is not intended to belimited to the details shown, since various modifications and structuralchanges may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of thepresent invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims;
 1. A cover for an automobile sun visormirror mounted in a mirror frame of a sun visor body, said mirror framehaving side walls and said mirror having a main horizontal axis,comprising a plurality of rigid, substantially rectangular, overlappingsheet-like plates, said sheet-like plates having a plurality ofoutermost end edges and regions in the vicinity of said outermost endedges, knob means attached to one of said plates adjacent one of saidoutermost end edges, means for connecting said sheet-like plates incontinuous chain-like succession so that said plates are slidable overone another in an opening and closing direction of said cover, saidplates being mounted in said mirror frame and fitting smoothly butslidably between said side walls of said mirror frame, said side wallshaving guideways in which said plates are engagable and extending insidesaid sun visor body so as to form an internal container having a lengthin said opening and closing direction at least substantially equal to aminimum length of said plurality of said plates when said plates areoverlapped to a maximum extent and having a height at leastapproximately equal to a thickness of said plates so overlapped to saidmaximum extent so that said plates are concealable in said internalcontainer except for said knob means and for said regions at saidoutermost end edges of said plates.
 2. A cover according to claim 1,wherein said plurality of said plates consists of two of said plates,said opening and closing direction is substantially transverse to saidmain horizontal axis of said mirror and said container is located belowsaid mirror.
 3. A cover according to claim 1, wherein said plurality ofsaid plates consists of three of said plates, said opening and closingdirection is substantially conincident with said main horizontal axis ofsaid mirror and said container is disposed laterally of one end of saidmirror.
 4. A cover according to claim 1, further comprising securingmeans located in the vicinity of said knob means, when said plates aremoved into a position substantially covering said mirror, said securingmeans cooperating with said knob means to hold said plates in saidposition covering said mirror.
 5. A cover according to claim 4, whereinsaid securing means comprises a magnet.
 6. A cover according to claim 4,wherein said securing means comprises a mechanical link.
 7. A coveraccording to claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises sets ofslots and lugs, each of said sets being located in the vicinity of alateral edge of said plates, said slots extending substantially parallelto said lateral edges of said plates and being slightly shorter than alength of one of said lateral edges, one of said plates at one end ofsaid plurality of plates being provided only with said slots, whileanother of said plates at another end of said plurality opposite to saidone end being provided only with said lugs and all of said platesbetween said plate at said one end and said plate at said other oppositeend having one of said slots and one of said lugs, said lugs and slotsbeing located on each of said plates in a positional correspondence forconnecting each of said plates together slidable over each other fromsaid minimum position to a position covering said mirror.